Green pesto straight from the jar? (This is not an exciting thread)

[UtterlyPerfectCartoonGiraffe]

Right - supermarket green (or red!) pesto. Can you/should you eat it straight from the jar without heating it up?

I tried using some for the first time today, heated it through and mixed it into pasta. It was rank. Yet when cold, it smelled delicious. It it better eaten cold from the jar?

Also how have I reached the age of 40 and never known what to do with pesto? Is there some public flogging I should attend for my ignorance?

[JasperRising]

I just stir it straight from the jar into cooked pasta. Never thought about heating it first.

[PetuliaBlavatsky]

Agree just stir it through. I prefer it mixed with cream cheese to make a pasta sauce, softens the flavour a bit.
Or you can drizzle over a pizza.
I much prefer coriander pesto to basil pesto though.

[SpringLake]

The Italian way to do it (or so I have been taught) is to mix with a little water, to loosen it up and then just mix in with cooked pasta. The pasta will be hot enough to warm the pesto. Best with extra grated cheese (parmesan) on top!

[ScreamingValenta]

I didn't know you were meant to heat it. I have always stirred it in from the jar.

[Icedlatte]

Don't think you are meant to heat it. It contains cheese so I imagine that would change the consistency

[TarragonSauce]

I always drain the pasta, return to pan but not on heat then add pesto and crepe fraiche, mix round and serve.

[ArgusFilchsCat]

I use it cold as a condiment. Lovely in wraps with mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes. Cold pasta or potato salad. Loosend with olive oil as a salad dressing or as a dip for bread. You don't need to heat it up.

[DontCallMeShitley]

Best thing to do with pesto is bin it.

[UtterlyPerfectCartoonGiraffe]

Ah brilliant anything that doesn’t need cooking is a win for me! I’m going to try the cream cheese/ creme fraiche way, and god yes potato salad with pesto sounds lovely!

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

I use it the same as argus. DS always asks me for mozzarella, sundried tomato and green pesto wraps for work.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I feel like pesto is something I should like- love Mediterranean food, love basil, love the idea of it- but it is always disappointingly bland I find. Like coffee and bread, it seems to smell deceptively delicious.

[Jamhandprints]

On warm new potatoes it's lovely too.

[SurgeHopper]

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1521/summerinwinter-chicken

Great pesto recipe

[safariboot]

With pasta, just stir it through, the hot pasta will warm the pesto just fine.

When I read the title I thought it was going to be about someone eating it straight from the jar by the spoonful!

[RugbyRugby]

It's amazing spread thinly onto a baguette to make an awesome sandwich if you get the filling right - try soft cheese like brie or mozarella and bit of tomato.

[heidipi]

Artichokes in oil from a jar warmed in a pan plus any pasta with peas and pesto is great and quick. I have it with spagetti when the meat eaters are having spag bol.

[NotAnotherNameChange99]

Nice in a chicken salad sandwich too.

[francienolan]

My coworker keeps a jar of it in the fridge at work and spreads some onto his sandwiches and wraps straight from the jar, I think it's fine.